"If an earthquake occurs, everyone seems doomed"… Jeonnam Province conducts inspection of newly built apartments with multiple defects

58,000 Defects Found in Pre-Inspection Report
Serious Defects Including Warped Exterior Walls and Floor Gaps

The Jeollanam-do Joint Housing Quality Inspection Team has begun the final inspection of a newly constructed apartment complex in the Oryong district of Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, where over 50,000 defects were found during a recent preliminary inspection, following the Muan-gun Office's investigation.

The defects in this apartment were first reported on the 6th through the online community 'Bobaedream.' At that time, the author, Mr. A, posted under the title "A Newly Built Apartment with Unprecedented Defects," attaching numerous photos. He expressed concern, saying, "The visibly warped exterior walls of the building at a glance. I wonder if everyone would die if an earthquake hits." The photos Mr. A shared show what appears to be warped exterior walls. He also revealed interior photos, stating, "The tiles and wall lines are misaligned both vertically and horizontally, causing chaos," and added, "The slab of the top-floor outdoor unit room has already sunk, and the concrete frame is bent."

The exterior wall of the Hillsstate Apartment in Muan, Jeonnam is warped. [Image source=Captured from BobaeDream]

Mr. A also shared photos showing sloppy bathroom construction and gaps between the windows and the floor. Other major defects pointed out by prospective residents include gaps where window frames do not fit tightly against the floor, waste found inside bathroom walls, and uneven wall surfaces. Netizens who saw these photos responded with comments such as "Post-sale is the answer" and "What if a big earthquake happens?"

This apartment complex, consisting of about 800 households and scheduled for move-in at the end of this month, reportedly had over 58,000 defect reports during a three-day preliminary inspection starting on the 26th of last month. The anger of prospective residents is especially intense because the apartment was constructed by a well-known construction company and marketed as a branded apartment. At the time of sale, it was promoted as "the first luxury brand apartment in the southwestern region."

The tiles in Muan Hillstate Apartment are broken.
[Image source: Capture from Bobae Dream]

Prospective residents have posted over 120 public complaints on the Muan-gun Office website, demanding that the local government not grant the completion permit under its authority. Earlier, on the 2nd, about 30 prospective residents gathered at the entrance of the apartment complex holding placards and banners to protest.

On the 8th, the Muan-gun Office began safety inspections through an external professional company and stated that if serious defects are found, they will not grant the completion permit. The Jeollanam-do Provincial Office also deployed 12 experts for quality inspection. Muan-gun plans to demand defect corrections from the construction company based on the Jeollanam-do quality inspection team's findings and will only grant completion approval after confirming the implementation of corrective measures.